The present invention relates generally to a door panel and installation thereof for water-tight closure of an opening in a wall structure of an enclosure such as a marine vessel.
Door closure of openings in certain installations, such as a marine vessel, require water-tight sealage. Existing door panel closures on marine vessels are often inadequate so as to require frequent maintenance and/or replacement to provide the necessary water-tightness. It is therefore an important object of the present invention to provide a door panel and associated installational arrangement in the foregoing type of environment which would avoid and/or overcome water leakage problems heretofore associated therewith, involving vibratory loading, wear and distortion of parts and heavy door weight imposing excessive handling burdens on personnel.
In accordance with the present invention, a door panel is provided having an external surface that is flush in its closed position with the external surface of an associated wall structure, such as the topside of a marine vessel or ship. Water-tight sealage of an opening in such wall structure is effected by compression of a foam gasket adhesively fastened to a recessed bulkhead portion of a door frame on which the door panel is supported in its closed position. The door panel is displaced between such closed position and an open position through hinge linkage excluded from any external portion of the door panel by confinement to an internally raised portion thereof projecting into the door frame opening. At peripherally spaced locations in such internally raised portion of the door panel, corrosion resistant insert assemblies are retained by adhesive bondage for reception of rolling pins of a selectively controlled actuator mechanism to establish and maintain the water-tightness compressive engagement of the sealing gasket on the recessed bulkhead of the door frame by the door panel in the closed position. Replaceable wedge elements are resiliently held within each of the insert assemblies for engagement by the rolling pins with a tolerated degree of misalignment during maintenance of the water-tight sealing condition. In concert with the latter installational arrangement, a compliant, light-weight construction is utilized for the door panel, consisting of a balsa wood core enclosed within a reinforced plastic skin.